Dashboard Regions Weather Stations Radar Alerts Glossary
Contact About
Log In

Register for an account and never miss a forecast again!

Register

Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Jan 10th, 2025–Jan 11th, 2025

Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.

Regions

Howson, Microwave-Sinclair, North Bulkley, South Bulkley, South Bulkley, South Bulkley, Telkwa.

Wind slabs have potential to step down to buried weak layers, resulting in large, consequential avalanches.Choose lower angle slopes that have not been wind-affected.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

Thursday & Wednesday, several wind slab avalanches size 1.5 to 2 were reported on east aspects in the alpine. Some were cornice-triggered and one was noted to have stepped down the persistent weak layer. See photo below.

Visibility has been poor recently and reports have been limited.

Natural avalanche activity has likely subsided with the cooling trend and minimal flurries in the forecast. However, strong winds persist, keeping human-triggered avalanches possible.

Snowpack Summary

Strong westerly through northwesterly winds have been building thick wind slabs on lee slopes near ridgetops. These slabs may need a few days to bond.

Recent snowfall has been variable throughout the region; between 10 and 30 cm since the start of the week. Below 1000 m, the snow surface may be moist, wet or crusty.

The storm snow may cover a thin sun crust on south to west facing slopes.

A significant weak layer composed of weak facets overlying a crust is buried 40 to 80 cm deep. This layer has been stubborn to unreactive in recent snowpack tests, but may remain possible to trigger in isolated areas.

Weather Summary

Friday Night

Cloudy with 0 to 3 cm of snow. 60 km/h west ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -1 °C. Freezing level 1200 m.

Saturday

Partly cloudy with 0 to 2 cm of snow. 45 to 55 km/h northwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -4 °C. Freezing level valley bottom.

Sunday

Mostly sunny. 20 to 40 km/h northwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -5 °C.

Monday

Cloudy with 0 to 5 cm of snow. 60 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -2 °C.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Avoid freshly wind-loaded features, especially near ridge crests, rollovers, and in steep terrain.
  • Be aware of the potential for large avalanches due to buried weak layers.
  • Choose low-angled, sheltered terrain where new snow hasn't been wind-affected.

Problems

Wind Slabs

Wind Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) formed by the wind. Wind typically transports snow from the upwind sides of terrain features and deposits snow on the downwind side. Wind slabs are often smooth and rounded and sometimes sound hollow, and can range from soft to hard. Wind slabs that form over a persistent weak layer (surface hoar, depth hoar, or near-surface facets) may be termed Persistent Slabs or may develop into Persistent Slabs.

Persistent Slabs

Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) in the middle to upper snowpack, when the bond to an underlying persistent weak layer breaks. Persistent layers include: surface hoar, depth hoar, near-surface facets, or faceted snow. Persistent weak layers can continue to produce avalanches for days, weeks or even months, making them especially dangerous and tricky. As additional snow and wind events build a thicker slab on top of the persistent weak layer, this avalanche problem may develop into a Deep Persistent Slab.